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Woodpecker: The Egyptian Jewellery Brand Making Bling Out of Wood

Gold and silver are the preferred choice of materials when it comes to jewellery, but have you ever considered wood? Egyptian brand, Woodpecker, did. Mixing wood with other natural materials, from sterling silver, to copper, to precious stones, Heba Sharawy’s boutique brand celebrates what she believes to be a criminally underappreciated and surprisingly versatile material.

A jewellery designer by trade, Sharawy developed her hobby into a business in Saudi Arabia, before returning to Egypt in 2015, launching Woodpecker and selling her products through social media.

“My latest collection has actually been very popular. People think it’s weird, but they like it,” she told CairoScene, adding that than when people got to know more about the brand, the concept started growing on them.

“I make my products out of all-natural materials. I use Sarsou3 wood,” a wood that was originally used in shipbuilding due to its durability. “And we then adorn our pieces using different precious metals and stones to make them this pretty.”

Her pieces are all made in a workshop owned by her family and she takes her time in achieving her desired outcome. While the majority of her items fall very much under the category of ‘casual’, she has a new direction in mind.

“Right now, I’m thinking of gradually taking Woodpecker into a more soiree place. Wood doesn’t necessarily have to be only modern and casual. Even with décor, I want it to be more rustic and classier, rather than stick casual and modern designs.”

Through her pieces, she also wants to highlight that wood is delicate material that that can be as chic as it is quirky in the context of jewellery.

Back in August, she launched her store in Maxim Mall, near AUC New Cairo, and it has been a huge hit thus far.